DAILY RUMORS: Tomas Kaberle for Wayne Simmonds Rumor Trashed

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Although the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t move defenseman Tomas Kaberle during the entry draft weekend speculation remains strong the Leafs will peddle him within the next two weeks.

It’s also given rise to some weird rumors linking Kaberle to the NHL’s three California-based teams.

The San Jose Sharks were considered a possibility following the retirement of Rob Blake but with their recent re-signings of forwards Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski to expensive new contracts plus their rumored search for an experience starting goaltender has pretty much squelched that conjecture.

Anaheim Ducks forward Bobby Ryan was considered a possibility if for nothing else based on the fact Leafs GM Brian Burke drafted Ryan when he was GM of the Ducks back in 2005. Current Ducks GM Bob Murray however poured water on that one insisting he has no intention of trading Ryan.

So it was only a matter of time I guess before someone linked the Los Angeles Kings with Kaberle.

Not sure where this one came from but apparently the latest kicking around the internet has Kaberle headed to the Kings in exchange for winger Wayne Simmonds, which prompted the following response from agent Allan Walsh via Twitter:

“hahahahahaha (holding my sides to prevent splitting a gut) “.

This isn’t the first time Simmonds have been linked to another team in trade rumors as there was recently one suggesting the Philadelphia Flyers should swap Jeff Carter for Simmonds

I realize I’ve said this once before but I think it bears repeating again: if the Kings weren’t willing to part with Wayne Simmonds as part of a return for a superstar like Ilya Kovalchuk, why would they do so for a lesser player?

Add in the fact the Kings are widely believed seeking a “name” scoring forward and not another puck-moving defenseman (since they already have two fine young ones in Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson), and the notion of Simmonds being swapped for Kaberle just doesn’t make sense.

Lyle Richardson
SpectorsHockey.net
twitter.com/spectorshockey